Pneumatic door-operating mechanism



March 30 1926.

1,578,678 C. NORTON PNEUMATIC DUUR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 30 1926. 1,578,678

C. NORTON y PNEUMATICI DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 7 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (g1/twente:

C. NORTON PNEUMATIC DQOR OPERATING MECHANISM March 30 1926. 1,578,678

Filed July '7, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 nvcnfoz fy/fforo/A/Of/on.

Patented Mar.. 30, 1926. l

UNITED STATES y 1,518,678 Pn4 ENTOFFICE.

cnxrrom) NORTON, or NEW Yoan, N. Y., AssreNoBro GRAHAM a. NORTON COMPANY, or NEW Yonx, N. Y., A oOnrOnATION or DELAWARE.

rNmJMATIc DOOR-OPERATING MECHANLSN.

llpplicaitlon fled July 7,

`Door-Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to power actuated mechanism for producing a reciprocating or to and fro movement of doors or other Ob- ]ects under the action of fluid pressure employed as the power. It is convenlent to employ neumatic power, but the' invention as will e apparent from the followin dethat scri tion, is not limited to power o kind. My invention is particularly useful for moving or producing reciprocating movement of elevator doors and will accordingl be described as applied to that use.

The cti/ject of my invention is to provide a simple, durable and thoroughly reliable apparatus by means of which the movements of a door or other object in either direction may be speeded up without danger to the users ofv the service and without liability 1923. serial Nn. 650,042.

I prefer to provide for the cyli'nder of the dashpot two or more liquid bypasses regulnble independently of one another and adapted to come into action 4respectively at consecutive stages of movement of-'the door and through any Vportion .of the stroke of the dashpotpiston referably towards the end of the stroke. Fhis manner of regulatin g the action may be applied to one only-of the two dashpots but is applied preferably to both. f

By the use of my apparatus the dilliculties experienced from the rebound in the previous forms of apparatus, where the attempt is made to throw the door at high speed by pneumatic power and the check or cushion is an air check, are entirely avoided and, by the regulationl of the by asses em loyed in 'the checking action, the oor may e caused to reachthe end of its excursion gently but yet may be speeded up in its action to the 'utmostlimit without danger.

Furthermore, by regulating or adjusting the dashpot action to be more or less effective in the movement of the door in one direction than in the other, the time consumed of violent rebound or shock whenthe door` in the opening, movement,v for instance, may

reaches the end of its closing or opening movement. l

A further Object of the invention is to permit the .use of a liquid dashpot or check for both movements and to provide for the gradual application of the checking action and for the regulation thereof to suit various conditions.

lIn the preferred form of my invention pneumatic power is applied to the door by means of a pair of pistons connected with a. pair of independently mounted dashpots through mechanism by which one or the other of the dashpots comes into action according to the direction of movement of the door under the operation of the pneumatically irripelled pistons. In applying the motive power of the compressed air a suitable controlling valve is used which isopcrated in any desired way as for instance b v a cam on the car` Said controller valve is prop- Aerly connected to its operating mechanism in such manner that the valve may be thrown to neutral position in which pneumatic power may he cut olf from both cylinders when the door is not in use.

To provide for the regulation of thc cushioning or checking etlect of the dashpot,

be made much less thanthe maximum permissible speed for the closin so that using the same amountv of a p ied pneumatic power for both closing an openin the headway or speed of the service may e greatly increased.4 A A With proper regulation. br adjustmentA of the relative checking or cushioning effects' of the dashpots operating respectively on the o ening und closing movements, the door may moved in opening at a speed twice that permissible at the closing movement or at even a greater relative speed.

The invention consists also in vthe combinations of apparatus andthe features of construct-ion more particularly hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then specified in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general side elevation and partial vertical section of an apparatus embodyes employed to produce the gradueted cushioning eect provided by independently ieguluble bypasses coming into notion oonseeutivoly one after the other neer the end ,iro

of stroke in the cese of one deshpoti and acting throughA substantially the whole stocke but consecutively in the case of the other. e

Fig. 4 is u cross-section through a dashpot cylinder et a rtion thereof where it is counterbored to dnshpot piston,

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate in u. partially di ntic fashion the several positions ificcupied b the pneumatic controlling valve or the saine d for s utting of the sir, so that gie door nnot be operated in either direc Fig. 8 is a' centra longitudinal section through the neume ic controlling valve showing e pre erred construction.

Fig. 9 is e detail view of the preferred connection between the vulve stem erin and actuating device therefor.

Fig. l0 is ln enlarged vertical section et the point of connection of the pncumutic piston rods.

l indicates the door mounted as usual and capable of sliding movement nei-oss nn opcm In the present instance I have shown the seme es provided with n system of oporntin levers actin after the manner of a. togg e and comprising the two toggle members 2 2 ivoted together, one member 2 bei pivo d, as shown, on a, fixed abutmerli support or bracket 3 and the other being pivotally. connected to door itself. The pneumatic power is applied to the levers to open and close the door by connection t0 the toggle erm or lever 2.

I do not, however, limit. myself to the use of this particular system of operatin levers for communicating moveinentfto the 'oor in nsmiicli ne mv invention ma be carried out by the use of any system o levers or other desired mechanism lbetween the floor itself and the pneumatic piston or pistons employed for applying power to the door.

-Two pniunintlic owor cylinlers used'in thc o onine; im c rising opere io 1re indicatelrl rcs ctivcly al 4 4. Eacllhylmder is provide with u suiieblensto liictuoteil by pneunmtic power appli at lie 'closed 0nd 5 of either cylinder and the piston `itiflii nre connected oi' integral so that onigf'piston is actuated the olhcr is return d t position nt or near thc' hottnrn of its \cy| der. The croce-houd 7 is loosely connected y a rohe m iii'ln (i extending silewlisc from the 'rfims-lmiul und engaging the piston rod.

Suid crosedicml is itself :i so preferably guided iii its vertical movements by s, guide rod H woring in guides applied to the sides of thv cylinders l 4 as shown. To th(` crossfree movement of the positie 'vely o ning the door,` closing` heed are the'linkl 9' the Vopper s one .of wliic i otall connect ywith en eerhdrmtdlu andycxtendmg' purpose of moving @4J or ein` the sono. The lower link 9' 'extends in the te .direction from il and downwardly. t{ivotnl connection, es ln'- dicatedetlll, lleverll whicliserm to n otunte the *pistou ofthe dlelipots in opvvhen pneulib pmt il i lied throu either one ol'tl'ia cylinden 4 to move cross-hud engl the link, es well al the link- 9., in'opening or closing the door, Sud lever nl pi y on s bnicliet or support lpinounted om e suitable fixed su rt or, plete 'attached to the `well or near the door il eo sides o! its fulcro!) with the piston rods of the two dnshpotl respectively which ect to p rovide n liqnid'cli'eck or cushion rcapec tively for the opening end closing movements of the ooi'.

the ldoor: either to The dash cylinders indicated nA 13 1a' ere pro r y mounted in upright position by pivo or trnnnions at their closed ends carried by the braclret or table 14 or by other means. By this mlnner of mounting they accommodate themselves to the movement of the opposite ends of the lever 11 in orcs of a circle when acti upon the piston rods to. force the pistonsnirough the cylinders, while moreover this manner of mounting largely avoids the dilliculties from leakage of oil or other liquid in the cylinders owing to the fact tliiit the stung box ends nrc uppermost.

The controller valve controlli "the apiliootion of pneumatic power tough cylin- -cre. 4 4 is indicated nt 15. The vulve casting is furnished with-en ofset or boss 1li' threaded for attachment to the lower end of one of the cylinders 4', as clenrl shown, so ns to ruvido a compnet end rgi mountn of t e parte. The valve stem 16 und ya ve arc arranged horizontall end turn in c vertical plane. Annrm 17 o the stemnffords incensi for turning the volvo in any suitable way, le for. instnnoe in the manner hereinriller d Seid vulve ie proferably of the rotary, Het dial: type lining a suitably formed disk or plete 18, es shown in the detail views 5, 0, 7 snd which works in tli'e valve c amber 19 on the fece of the costing il) boxed to provide suitable ports closed and opened by the rotation of the disk when ,the 16 attached to seid disk ier-turned. The bores at the ontsidepf the valve casting conn t respective! with pines lending to-the i supp y; to` tyo cylinders 4 and 4' am to un exbst, u dicntcd'by the legends ontlie sev gl gilres and the disk itself is of the 'inutillted or irregular contour indicated by the irregu- Iiole lever or member 2 fontinvely to one another at oppon'te larly curved full line, while its. inner face engaging the face of the casting 20 is dcprcssed to afl'od a passagewayand chamber wholly contained on said inner face and having the boundary wall of the irregular curve 0r shape indicated by.tli'e dotted h ne.

Therefore; as will be seen by an inspection of the figures, air under pressure will be supplied to `the cylinder 4 and air will ca haust from the cylinder 4 when the valve is in position shown in Fig. 5. When the valve is moved to position indicated in F ig. 6, air will exhaust from 4 and be supplied under pressure to 4, while a further turning of the valve to the neutral position indicated in Fig. 7 will cut o' the supply to both cylinders and leave them both connected to the exhaust.

An actuating rod or other device for operating on the valve stem arm is indicated at 21. Said actuator connects with the arm preferably by a hook, j aw or 'yoke on its end, such as indicated in Fig. 9, wherein the lower branch or arm of the yoke is shown as pivoted .at 22. The ordinary range of movement of the stem to place the valve in the two positions for opening and closing the door, and indicated respectively in Figs. 5 and (l, is accomplished by moving said yoke from one to the other of two positions with the ivoted arm of the oke retained in the position shown in the drawing Fig. 9. This movement is a limited movement between two extremes limited by suitable stops or by other means associated with the actuator rod 21 in any usual or roper way. When it is desired to throw t e valve to neutral or inoperative position, the lower or ivoted hook or arm engaging the valve arm is thrown back from position shown in Fig. 9, thus rmitting the valve arm to be thrown down into the position indicated by the lower dotted line of the figure, Ywhich is the position corresponding to the osition indicated in F ig. 7 In this position of the valve the door may be moved freely for any purpose by hand *without interference from the pneumatic pressure employed in producing the openingr and closing movements.

The valve actuator rod 21 may be operated in any desired way as for instance by a cam 23 of an elevator car suitably mounted and operated' by a foot pedal or otherwise, adapted to be projected against one arm of a bell crank lever 24 mounted in fixed position and connected. as to its horizontally extending arm, on the vertically guided rod 21. Said rod passes through the guide or other bracket 25 fixed in positionv and is suitably provided with a. retractor spring 26 compressed between the guide bracket 25 and a collar on the rod when the rod is lifted by the action of the bell crank or other means. Its upward motion serves to place the Valve in position for applying pneumatic power to the cylinder 4', as will he obvious from the foregoing description, and opens the door by throwing the parts into the position indicated in Fig. 2. 'l'he spring 26 serves to return the valve to normal position when the lifting effect upon the rod 21 ceases, therch admitting the air under pressure to the c v inder 4 and exhausting the air from the cylinder 4', so that, under pneumatic power, the door will be closed.

As will he seen, on the opi-ning movement the piston of the liquid check or dashpot 13 is forced downward and that of 13 is at the saine time raised. 0n the reverse or closing movement of the door, effected hy pressure in the cylinder 4, the piston of the dashpot 13 is raised and that of 13is forced down'- wardly. These reverse actions take place through the reversal of the motion of the lever 11 whose opposite ends reciprocate in opposite diiections respectively.` To allow free upward movement of each dashpot i s ton each is provided with the usual all check valve as shown; which opens when pressure is ap )lied above the piston. Said valve closes wlien pressure accumulates beneath the piston. To insure greater freedom of movement of either piston in that ortion of its cylinder where the retar ing action of the bypass is not employed or desired, said cylinder may be counterbored at intervals around its inner circumference, leaving parts which will sufliciently guide the piston and as indicated in the cross-section Fig. 4.

The dashpot wction on the down stroke of the piston is controlled, in each instance, by a regulable bypass in the cylinder around from one side to the other of the piston. For each cylind r I prefer to employ two or more regulable 4ypasses acting respectively in consecutive stages of the down movement of each piston. The retarding action may be exerted through any portion or all of the vmovement of each but in the case of the cylinder 13 it is preferable to arrange them to come into action only as the door approaches its open position, leaving it free to move without being checked during a large part of the opening movement.

Any number of bypasses may be used but as an exam )le I show two indicated at 27 27. Each is furnished with the usual regulating valve like a needle valve, as clearly shown. When the dashpot piston for dashpot 13 reaches position number 2 indicated in dotted lines, up to which time it applies no or very little check upon movement of the dooryowinar to the presence of the counterbore described, the checking liquid can circulate only through bypass 27 in the regulated checking or -retarding amount and continues to check the opening movement until near the termination of the same the piston reaches the position number closing movement of the door and 3, when the checking action of bypass 27 he ins. At this time bypass 27 1s cut ofi' an ceases toact. By lmeans of the additional regulable bypass 27' it is 'obviousthat increased or diminished checking action `may be introduced or, inl other. words, that a regulated checking action for different' ihis case as in the case of cylinder 13 the bypasses may be of any desired relative length and capacity for adpistment. Also, the piston'of 13 might have no effective action near the bcfvinning of its down stroke b roperly positioning the bypasses or in e ect by dispensing with the upper one of the two shown.

In the particular case illustrated, on the down movement of the piston in 13 thel checking action of bypass 28 is first effective but on the istons reaching position number 2 the` choc ring action of the bypass 28 which may be either an increased or a lessened checking action is introduccd and continues to thc com lotion of the closing movement. This choc ing action may begin obviously as near us desired to the'V closing position of the door and is likewise regulable by the action of the bypass regulating valve. .In some cases one bypass for the dashpot checkingV the closing movement may serve but prcfcrablyrtwo or more are used and act at scvcral successive consecutive stages of the action, each being regulable inde endentl of the others, as might be foun desirab e under the particular conditions of u se of the apparatus.

For convenience the pistons of both dashpots are shown in the enlarged view as in their uppermost position but it will be understood that, as illustrated in the other figures showing the same properly assembled with their operating devices, when one occupies its uppermost position the other would occupy its lowermost position.

In the action of the apparatus, therefore, and on opening the door, both pistons move, for the major part of the opening movement, freely, (the piston of 13 being forced down and that f 13' being raised) the presence of the counterbore around the piston of lfl as it` begins'l to iove down contributing to this freedom of movement while` due to the opening of the valve in the piston of 13' :is it rises, no effective opposition to u quii-k opening movement is produced by the piston'ofh13'. The piston for 13, howeverAv during the latter part of such quick opening movement, is subjected to the opposition of the liquid flowing in the bypasses and therefore exerts its required checking or cushioning?r action as the door nears the end of its ra 1d opening movement. When the door is c oscd the piston of 13 rises and that of 13 is forced down simultaneously through the action of the lcvcr 1l. That of 13 docs not oppose the free action owing to the operation of the valve in its piston in that zone of action where it had been previously subjected to the dashpot action ad where theregulated Vbypasses are present, while above that position the counterbore, in addition to the opening of the valve` allows a perfectly free and unobstructed movement ofthe piston which will not oppose the closing movementl or interfere with the action of the piston in 13 which, in the `meantime1 has been acting in conjunction with its bypass or bypasses to produce a dashpot check to the closing movement.

As will be readily seen the retarding action of the dashpot 13 near the end of the opening movement of the door may be `readily adjusted or regulated in the one or more stages of the last or final movement without interfering or disturbing the regulation of the action of the dashpot 13 by its bypass which is effective in cushioning the closing movement of the door and vice versa. Also thc extent and nature of the das? vot action at the different stages of movement uiav be readily determined in each case owing to the capacity for remilation at each stage independently of the other or others, thus permitting a complete control and smooth operation under all conditions `of requirements.

It will be also seen that by the use of my invention the door may be made to close vcr)` slowly through its whole closing movement or it may bc spceded un as desired at the beginning of such movement and checked or retarded at any desired rate asit appreaches the closed position and at any desired different rates in the difsrnt stages of such final movement.

It will also be obvious that by suitable regulation or adjustment of the respective dashpot actions the time consumed in the closing movement might be made less than that consumed in the opening movement under the application of the power. My invention, however, is especially useful in speeding up the opening movement1 What I claim as my invention isz- 1. The combination with power actuated mechanism for imparting reciprocating motion to doors or other obiccts. of two dashpots each including a c vliudcr and a. piston whose cylinders are mounted upright on their iio closed ends and each adapted to exert its cushioning effect as its piston descends into the lower end thereof and means connected with the door or other reciprocating object for operating said dashpot pistons in opposite directions respectively in correspondence with the opening and closing movements of the door.

2. ln an apparatus of the character de scribed for reciprocating doors or other oh jects, the combination of a pair of closed dashpot casings mounted in upright position with their closed ends down and each provided with a regulable bypass near its lower end pistons movable in said casings and means operatively connected with the door for causing the pistons of said dashpots to reverse their movements so that as either enters the zone of action of the bypass at its lower end the other will more upward through an unregulated zone to position for acting on its reverse movement to check the action of the door.

3. The combination with power actuating mechanism for reciprocating doors or other objects, of a cylinder and piston and a liquid dashpot acting to cushion the door or other object as it reaches a stage of movement near its cxtreme position and provided with a regulable bypass adapted to come into action at said stage of movement.

4. In a power actuating mechanism for producing reciprocating motion of dobrs or other obyects, the combination of a power motor, means for controlling the application of power to said motor to reciprocate said doors or other objects according to the directing motion desired, a pair of dashpots for cushioning the movements of the door mounted beside one another in u right position, a lever to the opposite en s of which said dashpots are respectively connected and means connecting said mechanism with said lever.

5. The combination with a power actuated mechanism for producing a reciprocating movement of a pair of dashpots for cushioning the movements of the door, a lever connected on opposite sides of its fulcrum with the pistons of said dashpots and means connected with said lever for moving one of said pistons downward from its uppermost positio and the other upward from its lowerm st position upon movement of the reciprocating device in one direction and vice versa when the mechanisin operates to move the reciprocatcd device in the Opposite direction.

6. ln an apparatus of the character described. the combination of a power operated actuating mechanism, a pair of dashpots for cushioning the movements of the door having their cylinders supported parallel to one another in upright position and means for moving the pistons of said dashpots respecvtively in opposite directions simultaneously as the mechanism rcciprocates.

T. The combination with power actuated reciprocating mechanism for reciprocatinev doors or other objects, of a pair of liquid` dashpots for cushioning the movements of the door, pivotally supported in upright position on their -closcd ends substantially l parallel to one another and each provided with a bypass near its lower cnd. and a lever connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum to the piston rods and provided with means for actuating it from the door or other object when the same is moved in either direction whereby one piston is moved downward into thc checking Zone of a bypass while tht` other is moved upward from its lon crmost position and vice versa.

8. The combination with power actuating mechanism for reciprocating doors or other objects, of two dashpots acting respectively on`,the opening and closing movements and having respectively different checking actions so as to speed up the opening as compared with the closing movement.

9. rI.`he combination of with means for applying power to open and close a. door, a dashpot for checking the closing movement and a dashpot cri-acting with said door and means and adjusted to have a lesser effect than the first mentioned for checking the opening movement.

10. The combination with power actuated means for operating a door or the like, of` two dashpots operatively connected with the power-actuated means and door and operating to check respectively` the opening and closing movements and means for regulating the checking action of said dashpots independently of one another.

11. The combination with a reciprocating, actuating device for producing movement of a door or the like both backward and forward of two dashpots operatively connected with said actuating device and with the door fo:` checking respectively the forward and backward movements and each provided with a revulable bypass regulable independently of that for the other.

l2. The combination with mechanism for actuating doors to cause them to reciprocate under applied power, of two dashpots operatively connected with said actuating mechanism and acting;r respectively to check the opening and closing movements, said dashpots being adjusted or regulated to per mit a movement in one direction at a higher speed than the movement in the other.

13. The combination with pneumatic :1r-tuating means for moving a door in both directions, of two dashpots operatively connected with said actuating means for cushioning the movement of the door respectively in the opening and closing movements and a plurality of regulable bypasses for each dashpot applied to act at consecutive sta es of movement of the door and indepen ently regulable.

14. The combination with means for mov- 5 ing :i door or other ob'ect, application of pneumatic power to sai piston of a liquid dushpot :ii-ling to cushion the door near the Completion of the movement und provided with a plulnlit)V ot' regulable bypassesa l0 plied 'to nut at consecutive stages of t e movement und independently regulable.

15. In un apparatus of the character de- Lamme scribed, 'the combination with power operated controlling means for moving a. door or other object, of a liquid dasllpot actin 1D to cheek said movementl and provided wit a (plurality of regulable bypasses regulable in epenclently and acting respectively at consecutvestages of the movement.

Signed at New York in the county of New 20 York and State of New York this 6th day of July, A. D. 1923.

CLIFFORD NORTON.

pot applied to :ict at eonseeutive stages of movement of the door and independently regulable.

I4. The rombnalion with means for mow 5 ing :i door or other ob'ect, application of pneumatic power to sai(V pieton of i1 liquid dushllot :ming to cushion the door nent' the vomplelion of he movement und provided with n plurality ol' regulable bypasses a l0 plied 'fo :wt at mnsecutive stages of t e lnoveinent und independently regulable.

15. ln un apparatus of the character ilescribed,`tl1e combination with power operated controlling means for moving a. door or other object, of a liquid dashpot actin 15 to check said movement und provided witi :i plurality of regulable bypasses regulable imlopendently and ueting respectively at roneeeutive stages of the movement.

Signed at New York in the county of New 2U York nml State of New York this (ith vilziy of July, A. D. 1923.

GLTFFORD NOll'lON.

.Uertlklte of Onlretion.

It is hereby oertied that in Letters Patent No. LSTEQBTS. 1926, upon the algplicaton of Clifford Norton. of New York,

neurnatie l)oor0peratng Me hanims,"

printed speeimtion requirin correction as follows;

provexnent in out the word i of page 6. ines 5 twn of pneumatic granted March 3U, N. Y. for an un-` errure appear in the .Rage line 91, claim 9, SLi-iks i and 6, claim i4, Strike out. the Words Bp limpower u. sani piston and that the said. Leners Patent e ould be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the revord of the case in the Patent (llliue.

Signed and sealed thie 14th day of December, A. D. 1926.

[sun] M. J. MOORE, Actif-g Cammznaw of Pmanu.

.Certificate of Corriction.

It is hereby rted that in Letters Patent No. 1,57 67B, gunned March 3U, 1926, upon the a. plcatinn of Cliord Nnrton, of New Mrk, N Y T for an lm provement in neunmtc Ybor-Operating Mamnisnm," er1-Ura appeal; in the printed spcicaton requiriu correction as follows: Page line 911 claim 9, SLI-iks out the word of "'g page (i. fines 5 and 6, claim 14. strike. um. me. words ap [icat'wn of pneumatic power Ln said pisbou; and that. the said Lmrs Patent s Ould be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the rebord of the case in the Patent lue.

, Signed md seam mbmh day of December, A. t. 19%.

[aan] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Comrmvsmer of Parana. 

